Somaliland: Wadani Party Scores Big in Las Anod on Fifth Day of Campaign

By M.A.EggeThe Wadani chairman and flag bearer for the Presidential elections Hon. Abdirahman M. A. Irro made a rare double appearance in two different regional headquarters on the party’s fifth day of campaigning.Each party has a single whole day to its campaigns according to NEC guidelines.The long time speaker of Somaliland parliament who resigned from the post after a dozen years as the head to vie for the post was immensely welcomed in both Ainabo and Lasanod, the Saraar and Sool regionalheadquarter respectively.Hon. Irro thanked the Ainabo residents for the vast show of support through the huge numbers of populace who turned out to render the rousing welcome.Touting his Wadani party as a “national savior”, the presidential candidate and officials in his delegation solicited for the people’s votes at the town through various speeches.The party which has been showing a strong support countrywide in the past fortnight continued their onslaught in wresting power from the incumbent party by drumming up support through shows-of-force by loudly blaring music atop vehicles, convoys of dozens of vehicles with delegations plying routes to small rural centres etc.The Wadani campaigns went along the Wadamogoo route, Oog, Adiadeye upto Lasanod.At the Sool headquarters a major rally was held that saw the partyleaders’ give speeches.Former Presidency Minister Hersi Ali Hassan made passionate speech to pull the audience while soliciting for their votes.Several speeches including the country’s supreme traditional leader Sultan Abdiqadir was present and gave his support. With chants from the audience that pledged to the presidential candidate that they would give him votes, Hon. Irro preached unity, solidarity, progress, development, brethren-ship etc in his speech.The Wadani party also made their campaigns countrywide, notably in Erigavo and other major towns while in some areas like Balligubadle it decided to dish out alms and water for the underprivileged members ofthe society in the rural areas.MP Dirie Na’na took water bowsers to animal and human watering points as part of efforts to endear the party to the people.In the capital city of Hargeisa it was in contrast a low key event when compared to the past four occasions which were frivolous and frolicsome.